On May 18, California State University, Stanislaus’s radio station KCSS will host the 3rd Annual Bandstand. As with the last two, the event will be held at Turlock’s Grizzly Rock Café and feature a wide range of local talent. Admission is free, and the event will run from 6 p.m. to midnight.
“I am so excited about the selection of quality music this year,” Garret Neeley, station manager at KCSS, said. “The Airlings and Madie Boyd are new to this years lineup and in my opinion they are putting out some of the highest quality indie sounds I’ve heard in awhile. … Muir is another band we didn’t have last [year. They] have an intriguing lead vocalist and a mature sound.”
“I can go on and on,” Neeley adds.
The full lineup consists of 12 groups from our valley, covering everything from the hard rock of Broken Trojan to the ukelele-playing, coffee-shop stylings of Alida Mckeon.
Also playing are Of Us Giants, The World Fairs, Word of Man, Menage, Adam Bishop and the Young Guns, Viva Joaquin and Indian Runner.
Last year’s Bandstand brought in around 700 people throughout the night. While that event was set up like a battle of the bands, this year it’s all about having a good time.
“[We] are having sort of an unofficial theme of celebration and that encompasses so much,” Neeley said. “We are celebrating our new antenna, celebrating a wonderful class of student broadcasters, our unique group of volunteer broadcasters, the wonderful work of local musicians, and largely, KCSS listeners.”
Neeley and the staff at KCSS see the Bandstand as a great opportunity to unwind, commingle and party, welcoming the start of summer.
“I love to see people at the bandstand. Student broadcasters finally get to meet the listeners and hear great live music that many of our DJs have been playing on the air all year,” Neeley said. “The dancing and smiling all the way until midnight is a great end to the semester.”
The Bandstand sounds like a promising way to blow off steam during the study-grind for exams, and you’ll have all of Sunday to recover before finals hit.
“This is a celebration for radio fans, music fans, musicians, students, community members,” Neeley said.
“There will be nothing but good times and smiles.”
The Grizzly Rock Café is located at 4905 Golden State Blvd., right off the Taylor Road exit.